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Black Liberation through Islam

To establish Islam in oppressed Black communities, Black Muslim men, regardless of their rank in society, education in the Islamic sciences or academia, must be willing to go into the hood, in the most violent and dangerous of neighborhoods, and communicate the message of Islam to oppressed Black youth in street gangs, those in the drug economy, drill rappers, and more. That is our responsibility, those are our people and we must save them with Islam.

“Invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and good advice” (An-Nahl 16:125).

We can no longer wait for speaking engagements or seasonal ‘Black muslim’ conferences to discuss Islam’s relevance to Black people. Instead, the time is ripe to go to oppressed Black communities all across America to deliver our message that Islam is the only way for freedom, justice and equality. We must go to our people whether it be in the barbershop, to brothers outside the corner store, or coming out of the trap houses.

Let there be a group of people among you who invite to goodness, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. (Aal `Imran 3:104)

The masjids must play an active role in the development of Islamic institutions that resolve social ills in the Black community. This happens when Black men step up and take charge of our communities. It happens when we understand how white supremacy and institutional racism have created the conditions of poverty and violence in oppressed black communities. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson recently said at Howard University that the reason white supremacy has existed for so long is because the Negro loves the white man more than anyone.

We must begin to love ourselves and our people more than anyone else. We must be able to articulate how the Prophetic biography and Qu’ranic teachings can address the political realities of Black people and change their life. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad was given 104 books to study in the Library of Congress by Master Fard Muhammad. One hundred and three of those books dealt with an aspect of the life of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him. The best book, he was given, according to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, was the Holy Quran. That was the 104th book.